This is what we know:
Rob leaves July 25. I have the lovely task of driving him to base, staying to do paperwork on the family and then driving home without him. Fun times.
Rob will have 85 of training stateside. He will start in San Diego then move onto Fort Bragg.
Rob will have 5 days at home. We think, and hope, that this time off will coincide with Zion's second birthday. Yeah! Even if it's not right on it looks like we'll be able to celebrate close enough and be able to have him with us.
Rob will have 270 days in Afghanistan. Naturally the military has left a little clause on his orders that say that his time there could be extended to 420 days. Ouch! For now we'll just hope for the best because 9 months is so much nicer than 14.
Rob will be working on a Provincial Reconstruction Team. Though we don't know exactly what that means at this time. We also don't know where in Afghanistan he will be. In a couple of weeks we are going to meet with some friends of ours who spent a number of years over there as civilians. It will be nice to learn about the country, people and culture a little before he heads over there. One of my friends has already assured me that she felt much safer over there than you would expect by watching the news and has discouraged me from doing such a thing.
I just want to add a huge thank you to everyone who has extended their kind words and support. It is amazing to feel so covered with prayer and to know that so many people are offering to help in many practical ways. I know it's going to be hard when Rob is gone (and hard for him to be gone) and I have found myself starting to choke up a time or two when I've told people he's leaving yet I have a tremendous amount of peace and that can only be explained by being lifted up in prayer by so many friends and family members. Thank you!
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3 comments:
Greetings to the party of 5. It has been a great while since we have connected with you Rob and Julie. I received an update from you via email and have been watching your blog. We are so thrilled about your newest addition, Gideon. He is precious and Zion and Gabe look like such balls of fire too. So fun to see your family. We also have you in our prayer bowl at the dinner table and have been praying for the upcoming deployment of Rob in the reserves. We promise to cover you in prayer from now until he returns and beyond. Blessings to you all! The Schueler family-Mitch, Emily, Ayden and Aubrey
Hi,
I'm a mom of 6, living in Alaska, and came across your blog. You've mentioned your friend Lawanna, and I grew up in the same church that she and her family went to in the 60's and 70's. I had heard from a friend that she was ill. Lawanna has been an inspiration to me in my mothering, even though I haven't seen her since about 1980.I just remember what a wonderful, Godly woman she was/is. If you could email me, I'd love it. Thank you, and blessings to you.
Fran
akmomofmany@msn.com
Could you leave my email off of the comments? Thanks.
So sorry to hear that your husband has to spend so much time away from your family! But I did want to chime-in and say that I LOVE Afghanistan! I spent six weeks there back in 2003, and both my mom and sister are there right now. My mom runs a non-profit that works with government leadership and healthcare in the country, so my family is very connected with things over there and my parents go every few months. (my sister is teaching English over the summer) It's a very beautiful, but broken country, and the people are absolutely wonderful. It's true that there is a lot of unrest there, and I'm not sure what city your husband will be stationed in, but we're mostly in Kabul, and my sister is in Mazar, and most of the violence is in Kandahar. I never felt unsafe when I was over there. Anyway, good luck with the transition, your husband is sure to fall in love with the hospitable people of Afghanistan.
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